I ordered milkshakes from Dairy Queen, Carvel, and Baskin-Robbins. There was a clear winner in terms of flavor and value.

• I compared each one based on taste, texture, price, and overall value.
• Overall, the milkshake from Carvel was my favorite, and I’d definitely order it again.

I really enjoyed the shake from Carvel.

Today, there are over 2,400 locations throughout the US, and thousands more internationally.

It had been a while since I’d been to Baskin-Robbins, so I was excited to try the small strawberry shake, which I purchased for $6.29.

Baskin-Robbins’ take on the treat was thin but tasty.

Given this brand is known for its many flavors of hard ice cream, I wasn’t surprised to see that scoops of strawberry ice cream were used as the base of this milkshake.

No other strawberry flavoring or toppings were added — just milk and simple syrup — making this the simplest of the three shakes I tried.

This would definitely be the easiest milkshake to replicate at home — and that homemade taste is exactly what I encountered. There were frozen strawberry pieces swirled into the ice cream itself, but few remained intact after blending.

Although this shake was pleasantly strawberry-forward in taste, it was the thinnest and milkiest of the three I tried. That said, it was wildly refreshing.

The flavorful ice-cream base made this shake stand out ahead of the Dairy Queen version for me, as I didn’t have to contend with a competing vanilla flavor.

I would order this milkshake again if I wanted a thirst-quenching sweet treat.

Overall, the Carvel milkshake was my clear winner.

Overall, Carvel’s milkshake was my favorite of the three I tried, by far. Its strong strawberry flavor, high viscosity, and chewable berry pieces made it my ideal shake.

I loved that I could eat it with a spoon at first and then switch to a straw as the shake melted.

If you prefer a thinner, more immediately drinkable milkshake, though, Baskin-Robbins’ version might be more your speed.

Business Insider reached out to Dairy Queen, Carvel, and Baskin-Robbins for comment.